Tag Archives: cream

A couple summers ago, I was obsessed with these. I made them every week, all the neighbors were gifted them, it was slightly ridiculous. Then I burned out on them, I stopped making them, and honestly, I kinda forgot about them. Until a few days ago, when THE CRAVING came back. I’m posting them here because hopefully I can practice some moderation, not burn myself out on them and remember to make them more often.

Use your cuisinart to pulverize the ginger snaps. Mix with butter (you might have to use more or less butter) until you get some cohesiveness with your crust. Add about 2 teaspoons of crust into the jar and use the back of a spoon or the mortar from your pestle to tamp it down firmly.

Tamping the crust, this is important! No one likes a loose crust.

Meanwhile place the cream cheese, the Nutella and vanilla extract in your stand mixture and mix until blended. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Place the mixture in your jars and garnish with more whipped cream.

I could eat the cream cheese – nutella mixture with a spoon, as is, with no shame.

Serve immediately or put a lid on it, hide it under some vegetables in your refrigerator and eat it when no one else is home and won’t judge you.

It is finally raining in Northern California. I can literally hear the ground expanding and growing. It’s freaking glorious.

I spent almost all day outside in the rain. I cooked slop for the hogs, I fed my steers, I frolicked with Silly pig, it was such a nice change from the dry, warm weather we’ve been having. Until. Until I realized I was freezing and wet. And hangry. Really hangry.

My kale. It’s good.

I decided since it was finally raining enough to be noticeable it was time for winter food, soup! I love soup. Mainly because I’m lazy and you don’t have to chew soup. And it goes well with bread and cheese, my favorite food groups.

I decided to make this soup because it’s one of my favorites. Plus, I was able to use a lot of ingredients from my own ranch. I love that.

You will need….

This soup reminds me of college so much! We were poor so we’d hit the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks (at our local casual dinning restaurant, Olive Garden) like no one’s business for lunch (as a special treat). Eating this soup still reminds me of being a hot mess 21 year old. Good times.

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1½ tsp crushed red peppers

1 yellow onion, diced

2 gloves garlic crushed

3 cups kale, in pieces

3 large potatoes

10 cups Chicken broth or enough to cover your vegetables

1 cup cream

parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the sausage, remove from pan and add onion, cook onion until translucent.

Brown ranch heritage browned sausage, onions and garlic.

Add garlic for about 30 seconds. Place sausage back in the pot with onions and garlic. Mix in red pepper flakes. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Add kale, salt and pepper, simmer for 5 minutes.

Pre-kale and cream.

Add cream. Stir well. Serve with a dusting of parmesan cheese and a breadstick.

This is good, I mean really good. Watch out, you’ll eat the
whole batch and not even realize it. Perfect for gifts! (That way
THEY get fat, and not you! Tee hee)

1 Cup water

2 Cups vanilla sugar

1 Cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon fancy salt (plus more for making it pretty)

Add water to a saucepan, add the sugar being careful to pour it in the middle of the pan, trying to avoid letting it touch the sides of the pan. DO NOT STIR. Turn heat to medium until the sugar is dissolved and clear. When the sugar is clear turn the heat to high until the mixture turns golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. DO NOT STIR. I know you want to, but just don’t do it till I say.
Really.

Put your cream in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Meanwhile, turn the heat down to medium/low for your sugar mixture. Slowly whisk (stir!) in the warm cream into the golden sugar. Watch out, it will steam and foam and be kinda scary (because I didn’t turn it down). Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick. Add the salt. *Be careful not to overcook it. It won’t be the end of the world, you’ll just have thick caramel.

I poured the sauce into little jars and cooled, then sprinkled some more salt on top. It looked fancy-pants.

(I’m going to make this again soon and take more pictures. I got lazy, sorry.)

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This is one of my favorite recipes right now. It’s easily adaptable to your tastes too! Use Pancetta, more or less wine and or chicken broth. I love me some sauce so I double it anyway. I mean you have to have something to dip your garlic bread in!

Cook pasta until al dente and set aside. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Saute bacon until fat is rendered and it starts to brown, remove from heat, chop into 1 inch pieces. Remove excess bacon fat (leave some, you are making a sauce afterall! But if you used good bacon like I said, this might not be a problem) and add sliced leeks and cook for 8 minutes or until tender.

Pour in wine, then cook an additional 3 minutes, until reduced. Add chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in shredded Parmesan and bacon.

Toss in pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with Parmesan shavings over the top.

*Also very good chilled, if you don’t make extra sauce! Try it as a pot luck salad!

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